1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch device that connects/breaks the flow of an electrical signal or connects/breaks the flow of power, a switch device system that includes the switch device, and a switch apparatus that includes the switch device or the switch device system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a switch device in which switch contact points are simultaneously closed to enter an ON state at the time of an ON manipulation thereof but the switch contact points are not simultaneously opened to enter an OFF state at the time of an OFF manipulation thereof and which can recognize the ON/OFF manipulation state of the switch and can transmit information to a unit provided outside the switch; a switch device system that includes the switch device; and a switch apparatus that includes the switch device or the switch device system. Further, the OFF manipulation of the switch contact points is performed in a manner such that the switch contact points are opened to enter an OFF state after a signal is received from a unit that is disposed outside the switch and recognizes the ON/OFF manipulation state of the switch, in which the signal is a signal representing the status that the unit is completely prepared for the turning off of the contact points. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a switch device that can simultaneously change the state of a switch and the states of switch contact points to an OFF state in response to a signal sent from a unit provided outside the switch when the state of the switch and the states of the switch contact points are an ON state, relates to a switch device system that includes the switch device, and relates to a switch apparatus that includes the switch device or the switch device system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the related art technique of connecting/breaking the flow of AC power, there are, for example, the following techniques. In a first related art, an AC contact point is opened and closed by the ON/OFF manipulation of a power switch, so that AC power is supplied and interrupted. In a second related art, for example, a projector apparatus or the like is not provided with a main switch. The projector apparatus is started by a push-button switch and prepares for the turning-off thereof by a push-button switch after use. After the projector apparatus is completely ready to be turned off, an AC plug is pulled out from an outlet.
In general, the first and second related arts are the mainstream. However, for example, in the first related art, there is a problem in that the apparatus breaks if the supply of AC power is stopped at a timing where the apparatus is not ready to be turned off, such as during the operation of a hard disk drive (HDD), during the cooling of a direct current (DC) power source, during the cooling of a heating unit, or the like when the power switch is suddenly manipulated from an ON position to an OFF position.
Further, as in the first related art, according to the second related art, the apparatus may be able to reliably prepare for the turning off. However, as long as the AC plug is being put into the outlet, the power is consumed to detect the manipulation of the push-button switch and thus AC power is always consumed to cause the apparatus to be ready to be turned on. For this reason, there are problems in that the energy saving is not effectively achieved and a user feels difficulty in using the apparatus.
In order to solve the problems, in a third related art, the operation of an extractor fan switch of a bathroom is employed in connecting/breaking the flow of AC power, and the ON/OFF manipulation state of the switch is detected by another switch or a detection unit. If it is detected that the switch is in an OFF state, processing of causing an apparatus to prepare for the turning-off is promptly performed. As a result, the apparatus comes to be ready for the interruption of AC power that is performed by a timer of a spiral spring unit of the extractor fan switch.
The third related art is excellent in that a processing of causing an apparatus to prepare for the turning off can be surely performed when the turning-off is attributable to the interruption of AC power or in that unnecessary power is not consumed. However, it has a problem that the mechanical structure is complicated somewhat, and thus high cost is incurred in manufacturing. In addition, even if the apparatus finishes the preparation for the turning-off in a short time, it still takes a predetermined time until the AC power is interrupted. For this reason, slight unnecessary power consumption may occur.
In order to solve these problems, in a fourth related art, there is provided a system where a relay contact point and an AC contact point of a power switch are provided in parallel with each other, and a switch and a relay are combined with each other to serve as a switch unit. In such a manner, an electronic timer unit is established. According to the fourth related art, it may be possible to solve the problems of the third related art. However, there are other problems in that the size of the switch unit is larger several times than that of the existing power switches; the number of AC contact circuits needs to be increased two times; unnecessary power for the operation of the timer is always consumed; and excitation current for a relay always flows while the power switch is turned on. Further, even when the preparation of the apparatus for turning-off has been finished within a short time, a predetermined time is required for AC power to be interrupted. For this reason, there still remains an unsolved problem such as consumption of slight unnecessary power.
Accordingly, a fifth related art employs a system in which a switch portion and a relay portion of the fourth related art are separated from each other; the switch portion is further provided with another switch or a detection unit capable of detecting the ON/OFF manipulation state of the switch; a timer is not mounted; and the excitation power is controlled to be cut off after the OFF state is detected and processing of causing an apparatus to prepare for the turning off is then completed.
In the fifth related art, the processing of causing the apparatus to prepare for the turning off is reliably performed and completed when the OFF manipulation state of the switch is detected. Accordingly, the fifth related art is excellent in that it may be possible to reliably interrupt the AC power immediately after the completion of the processing of causing the apparatus to prepare for the turning off. However, the fifth related art is still problematic in that the number of AC contact circuits needs to be increased two times and unnecessary power is always consumed because the excitation current for a relay always flows while the power switch is turned on. There is further problem in that necessary space increases due to mounting of another switch or a detection unit.
The invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a switch device and a switch device system that (1) can allow an apparatus to safely stop even though a power switch is suddenly turned off, (2) can interrupt AC power by the power switch when an apparatus is not used, (3) incurs less unnecessary power consumption during the operation of the apparatus, (4) incurs less unnecessary power consumption in an OFF mode of an apparatus, (5) can reduce space, which is required for the switch or necessary parts, as much as possible, and (6) can be manufactured at lower cost. The invention further provides a switch apparatus that includes the switch device or the switch device system.
Further, the invention provides a switch that can change the manipulation state of the switch and the state of a switch contact point to an OFF state by a signal sent from a unit provided outside the switch when the manipulation state of the switch and the state of the switch contact point are an ON state, like switches with a reset function as in the related art (for example, AJ8R series manufactured by Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd., RS3 series manufactured by Hirose Electric Co., Ltd., A8G series manufactured by Omron Corporation, and the like).
The related arts include Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-8490 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-159143.